Capsule-sealing machine for food or drink containers

ABSTRACT

The present invention is a capsule-sealing machine that uses a heat-sealing process to apply sterile aluminum blank capsules on food or drink containers or cans, preferably cylindrical in shape but also square, rectangular or oval. The machine includes a conveyor belt that conveys cans to the machine, a loading carousel, a main carousel, where the blank capsules or can covers are sealed onto the cans, an unloading carousel, and an outfeed conveyor belt. The blank capsules are contained in vertical capsule magazines. A series of suction cups removes the blank capsules from the magazines and passes them to another series of suction cups located inside sealing heads of the main carousel. In the main carousel, the cans are raised by the elevating units and come into contact first with the blank capsules and then with the corresponding sealing head.

RELATED U.S. APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX

Not applicable.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present industrial invention regards an automatic machine that usesa heat-sealing process to apply a sterile aluminum capsule on food ordrink containers defined as “tins” or “cans”, preferably cylindrical inshape but also square, rectangular or oval.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

With specific reference to apparatuses of this kind presently availableon the market, it may be affirmed that numerous types exist, eachclassifiable according to the speed at which the capsule is applied andabove all the nature of the capsule used.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention regards a highly productive machine that heatseals a single-material aluminum capsule “bonded” with lacquer on theexisting can cover. It is distinguished by the innovative solutionsdevised for the capsule magazine, for the means for picking up andtransferring the capsules and raising the can, as well as for thesealing head which seals the capsules on the can rim.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features will now become more evident in the descriptionof a simple form of execution of the invention, which serves purelyillustrative purposes and in no way limits the scope of this patent.

FIG. 1 shows a top plan view of the machine layout.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of the assembly of the different unitswhich are integral parts of the machine.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of the previous assembly, with letters ofreference identifying the components.

FIG. 4 shows a partial schematic view of the capsule magazine unit.

FIG. 5 shows another partial schematic view of the capsule pick-up andtransfer unit.

FIG. 6 shows a schematic view of the capsule pick-up and transfer unitas seen from above.

FIG. 7 shows a partial schematic view of the can-elevating unit.

FIG. 8 shows another schematic view of the sealing head unit

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, the letter A indicates the conveyor belt thatconveys cans to the machine, which, by means of a screw feeder B, spacesthem apart and conveys them to a loading carousel C. The loadingcarousel C transfers the cans to the main carousel D, where the blankcapsules or can covers are sealed onto the cans. The blank capsules arecontained in vertical capsule magazines “E”. Actuated by the capsulepick-up units F, a series of suction cups removes the blank capsulesfrom the magazines and passes them to another series of suction cupslocated inside the sealing heads G of the main carousel D.

In the main carousel D, the cans are raised by the elevating units H andcome into contact first with the blank capsules and then with thecorresponding sealing head G. At the end of the sealing process, thecans are transferred to an unloading carousel I and conveyed to theoutfeed conveyor belt L.

FIG. 2 shows the assembly of the different units, the capsule magazineE, the capsule pick-up unit F, the sealing head G, and the elevatingunit H, which are integral parts of the machine.

Reference is made to the Figures, according to the operations described.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the blank capsules l are contained in thevertical magazine rails a and are kept in place by a series of clawelements which prevent the blank capsules l from slipping. The magazineis fixed on level 2 of the machine.

As shown in FIGS. 3, 5 and 6, the intermittent rotation unit with thecapsule pick-up unit comprises a main platform c bearing carriages d ande, which travel respectively along a horizontal and vertical axis. Themain platform c engages a fixed cam g for alignment with the maincarousel D and a rotating cam h for positioning each capsule pick-upunit F in relation to each capsule magazine E.

Each capsule pick-up unit F includes a first suction cup b mounted oncarriage e.

The main platform c is moved as the intermittent rotation unit f drivenby the main machine motor. During rotation of the intermittent rotationunit f, the rotating cam h turns and brings a first suction cup b intocontact with the blank capsules l contained in the capsule magazine E.

The first suction cup b is connected to a vacuum pump by a first groovedcam i. The blank capsule l is held by suction, during alignment of theintermittent rotation unit f by rotating cam h and during the descent ofthe carriage e. The blank capsule l held by suction is pulled from thecapsule magazine E and continues to adhere to the first suction cup b.

At this point, the intermittent rotation unit starts to turn, drawingwith it the main platform c and all the parts integral with the latter.

The fixed cam g has a grooved section of length g′ with a diametermatching that of the main carousel m.

As the main platform c turns, the carriages d and e travel horizontallyoutward, their motion being constrained by the fixed cam g so as tomatch the diameter of the main carousel m. The main carousel m bears thesealing heads G for the length g′. In this matching phase, the speed ofthe intermittent intervals of rotation of the intermittent rotation unitis corresponds to the rotation speed of the main carousel m. No relativemotion occurs between first suction cup b and the sealing head G with asecond suction cup w.

The sealing head G includes the second suction cup w integral with ashaft v. The second suction cup w is connected to a vacuum pump by asecond grooved cam. For the length of the path followed by the firstsuction cup b, a clamp cam x causes the second suction cup w on the endof the shaft v, with the vacuum activated, to detach the blank capsule lfrom the first suction cup b. The blank capsule's transfer from onesuction cup to the other is facilitated by the fact that during thematching phase, the vacuum deactivated in the first suction cup b isreplaced by a jet of compressed air delivered by the second grooved cami. At this point, the second suction cup w turns together with the maincarousel m and moves away from first suction cup b, taking the blankcapsule l with it. The operation is repeated between the next firstsuction cup b and second suction cup w of the next sealing head.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 7, the elevating unit H comprises an elevatingshaft l fixed to the main carousel m and connected to a support plate o.

The support plate o, integral with the elevating shaft l, is the surfaceupon which the can rests.

The elevating shaft l's movement is constrained by elevating cam n.During the rotation of the main carousel m, the can rises until it comesup against the sealing head G. The support plate o floats, resting uponthird springs p. When the elevating shaft l rises, bringing the can intocontact with the sealing head G, the third springs p are compressed andexert the necessary thrust to seal the blank capsule l onto the can.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 8, the sealing head G is, integral with the maincarousel m, comprises a central casing element q heated by a pair ofheating elements scontrolled by the temperature sensor t. The centralcasing element q is positioned by a first spring.

Each of the two heating elements s has enough power to seal the capsule;therefore, should one heating element fail, an electronic systemautomatically cuts it out and activates the second heating element. Thisguarantees the continuity of the machine's operation.

Inside the central casing element q, there is a mobile element r, and,situated inside the central casing element q, is a capsule press-formingdevice u. The pressing device u travels along the shaft v bearing thesecond suction cup w and is held in position by a second spring z.

The mobile element r is made up of several independent sector plates tocompensate the geometrical tolerances in the can's shape and to producea seal both on the top rim and the outer side edge of the can. Themobile element r creates the surface for contacting the sealing head Gand runs inside the central casing element q. The mobile element r isheld in place by a series of springs k.

When the can rises, conveyed by the elevating unit H, it meets the blankcapsule l retained by the second suction cup w.

At this point, the shaft v moved by the clamp cam x likewise starts torise, matching the ascent of the can.

The can continues to rise until it meets the six mobile elements r ofthe sealing head G.

The blank capsule l, which is now compressed between the can 3 and thepress-forming device u, assumes the shape of the inside of a can coverand adheres to the outside of the cover itself, compressed against themobile elements r.

The can continues to rise, pushing the mobile sectors r upward until theelevating cam n reaches the upper travel limit and the third springs pare duly compressed. The mobile sectors r, opposed by the position ofthe plurality of springs k, slide along the cone of the central casingelement q and clamp the blank capsule l against the outer edge of thecan, which is in turn pushed by the third springs p.

Therefore, throughout the time of the elevating cam n in the raisedposition, the can is pressed against the blank capsule l, which is inturn pressed against the mobile elements r. The mobile elements r, beingheated, generate a seal both on the top and side of the can.

At the end of the elevating cam n time in the raised position, theelevating unit H descends, taking with it the sealed can, which is thenreleased and conveyed to subsequent processing lines by the unloadingcarousel I and along the outfeed conveyor belt L.

1. Capsule-sealing machine for food or drink containers comprising: aconveyor belt with a screw feeder; a loading carousel aligned with saidconveyor belt; a capsule magazine, mounted in position after saidloading carousel and filled with a plurality of blank capsules, saidcapsule magazine having a plurality of vertical magazine rails and aplurality of claw elements spaced along a length of said verticalmagazine rails, said blank capsules being aligned and dispensed from therails and claw elements; an intermittent rotation unit having a mainplatform engaging a fixed cam and rotating cam, a plurality of carriagesmounted on a perimeter of said main platform, and a plurality of capsulepick-up units, said main platform being horizontally and verticallymobile as controlled by said fixed cam and said rotating cam, each ofsaid capsule pick-up units having a first suction cup mounted at anextremity of said main platform, each first suction cup being engagedwith a first grooved cam, said rotating cam moving said first suctioncup towards said capsule magazine during rotation of said fixed cam ofsaid intermittent rotation unit, each first suction cup being connectedto a vacuum pump by said first grooved cam, a main carousel having aplurality of sealing heads and a plurality of elevating units, eachsealing head having a central casing element with a pair of heatingelements, a temperature sensor, and a plurality of mobile elementspositioned therein, a capsule press-forming device, and a shaft with aclamp cam, each said central casing element being positioned by a firstspring and a partial conical interior shape, said shaft having a secondsuction cup mounted on an end thereof, said second suction cup beingengaged with a second grooved cam, said second suction cup beingconnected to a vacuum pump by said second grooved cam, said capsulepress-forming device traveling along said shaft, being positioned by asecond spring within said central casing element, and beingcapsule-shaped and heated by said pair of heating elements, said mobileelements being comprised of independent sector plates for contactingsaid central casing element, and being slidable within said centralcasing element, said mobile elements being positioned by a plurality ofsprings, said pair of heating elements heating said central casingelement, being controlled by said temperature sensor, and functioningautonomously, each elevating unit having a support plate mounted on anelevating shaft, and a third spring engaging said support plate, saidelevating shaft having an elevating cam, said elevating cam rotatingsaid support plate towards said sealing unit; an unloading carousel; anda second conveyor belt with a screw feeder, wherein said main carouselhas a radius equal in length to a radius of a grooved section of saidfixed cam of said intermittent rotation unit, wherein said main platformof said intermittent rotation unit rotates in intermittent intervals,said carriages being horizontally mobile and constrained by saidrotating cam, said carriages aligning with said main carousel at acircumference of said main carousel, wherein said intermittent intervalsof rotation of said intermittent rotation unit are synchronized withrotation speed of said main carousel such that said first suction cupand said second suction cup are aligned by motion of said intermittentrotation unit and rotation of said main carousel, and wherein said firstgrooved cam delivers a jet of compressed air to said first suction cupso as to deactivate a vacuum, said second suction cup replacing thevacuum by said second grooved cam, said second suction cup being movedaway from said first suction cup by rotation of said main carousel.